Some of Our Gtiksts Described. 
127 
travelliug clothes into lioliday costnme. Our own boatliantls, also in 
clean linen, stai-clied and combed, stood witli hni iiinjj; match close to tlie 
loaded mortar so as to give them tlie sahite as soon as they ( niei-ged from 
the bruslnvood on to tlie l)ank, and then to cross them over in our own 
boats which wei-e also decoi-ated in tl)e gayest m;uiner imaginable. Like 
pretty bntterliies, witii (/aptaiu Leal and ^^enbora Lib(>radina in tlie 
lead, they came into view through the green busJies, jumped nimbly off 
their steeds, and were brought over to us under the "thunder of the 
guns," Avhile several of the vaqueiros took the little horses under their 
care. 
312. A Creole Negro who belonged to the elite of the Fort rendered 
himself conspicuous with tlie foppishness of his clothes, but the real 
beauty of the whole show was a t^enhor Simony Avhose dark c<doured 
skin showed up exquisitely against his snow-white trousers, gold -spangled 
lire-red waistcoat and scarlet blouse. Such silly simian fondness for 
finery must be l)orn in the African's blood. ,8ome of the young women 
could have mm Senhora Liberadina, who was already known to us, very 
closely in a beauty com])« tition, for it would be very doubtful to 
whom pieference should be given for charmingh' slim propo'-tions, 
delicate hands and feet, bi'illiant eyes, classic noses, or ])retty mouths: 
with regularly set teeth : the only pity was that they had disfigured 
these by filing the incisors to a point. Their dress was just as tasty 
for, as I sul)seqnent1y had an oi>portunity of observing-; at Fort Sao 
Joaquim, the favourite colour was blue, and all of them wore clothes of 
this nature while a very pretty material, much like our figured lace, 
and whicli every Brazilian girl crochets herself, covered the bosom. The 
long black hair was held up in plaits with a tortoise-shell comb, while 
around the bare neck hung several sweet little coral-seed necklaces, to 
which were attached a rosary and various relics. Senhora Liliei'adina 
for instance woi'e amongst other .things a ]uece of the ti-ue T'ross which 
Friar Jose had ])robab]y cut fi'om the first tree suitable. 
313. The greeting over, we sat down to talde where Ave really had to 
I'estrain ourselves fi'om bursting into loud laughter because, with the 
exception of the commandant, foi'ks were just as little known to all our 
guests as were the victuals placed befor-e them, and, under the circum- 
stances, it was hard to give advice although all were willing to learn. 
They saw how Taptain Leal and we were imtting them to use. and though 
quite anxious to follow our example, were unalde to keep pace with us, 
and it was only very rarely that the^^ got each bit into their mouth at 
the first attempt. The many fruitless manoeuvres and evident 
clumsiness of his friends seemed to put Taptain Leal in a dilemma. Tlu^ 
embarrassment of the ladies was also increasing, and to put them at 
their ease, my Itrother took it upon himself to ]>ropose that they should 
eat according to the custom of the country, i.e., use their fingers instead 
of forks. Everything now went on swimmingly. T(. was on this same 
day that T learnt many a little hal»it which in Europe ^A■nuld be 
regarded as a grave breach of good manners: for instance, spitting a 
good deal while eating, and the frequent rinsing of the mouth, which 
would then be skilfully emptied in a long stream shot out to a eousid- 
prable distance without rising from the seat. After dinnei'. both la<li<^s 
